


Valhalla: An Endgame Epilogue

by MusingsMadeMeMad



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23919262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusingsMadeMeMad/pseuds/MusingsMadeMeMad
Summary: Everyone was at the memorial for Tony Stark. Everyone, that is, except for Valkyrie.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 126





	Valhalla: An Endgame Epilogue

“For those few…there is a great hall. For those faithful, there is providence. For the heroes…there is Valhalla. And there—in that place—legends never die.”

____________

The battle was over. They had won, but at a heavy price.

Everyone gathered to pay tribute to their fallen hero, although they didn’t gather around a grave or head stone, nor were there ashes to be scattered. Without Tony’s body, there was instead a memorial service. The arc reactor that Tony created in a cave in Afghanistan was beautifully adorned in a wreath of flowers. It floated peacefully, pulled by a gentle current down the river. Everyone was in attendance. Everyone, that is, except for Valkyrie.

_____________

Morgan Stark sat on a child’s sized chair outside in the garden, slowly twirling a paint brush between her fingers. She looked lost in thought sitting in front of her canvas, a somber expression on her beautiful face. That expression seemed so out of place on a young girl.

The sound of the wind rustling through the foliage was soon overpowered by the cicadas. Tony cringed. He did not do nature.

It had seemed idyllic when he saw Clint’s family home. A self-sufficient home away from everyone else. That was the first allure. Getting as far away from his former Avengers teammates as he could was the clencher. That and Pepper loved the idea of a cabin in the woods.

Turned out that he was trading in one vice for another. But he was brilliant, so of course he could figure out something as simple as doing household chores.

Kind of. Not really.

The shadows shifted around Morgan. She turned around and looked up to see what caused it. Spider-Man was crouched on a branch in a nearby tree. Peter smiled wide even though she wouldn’t be able to see it with the mask on. But Tony could tell.

Peter leapt down to the ground and skipped the last few steps towards Morgan.

The scene unfolded within the space of two ancient stone columns. Tony would hate to say it, but the imagery was better than any of his hologram projections. Including his trip through space, it was better than the most advanced high definition technology that he had ever come across. It was even more amazing when he discovered that the life-sized scenes also had fragrances. Tony could smell the mouthwatering aroma of cheeseburgers.

“What’s in the bag?” Morgan asked coyly, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Tony smirked and shook his head, knowing full well that Morgan knew exactly what she was doing by playing up her cuteness factor.

Spider-Man crouched down next to her and held out the bag. “Your favorite!”

Tony’s stomach rumbled, which should be impossible. He was technically dead. Although, not exactly. He still couldn’t wrap his head around that one.

“She’s grown,” came a smooth voice behind another massive stone column in the room.

Tony nodded his head, turning his sight towards his visitor. He lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

“Northern forest didn’t work out?” Tony asked.

Loki walked towards him, his green black leather outfit, adorned with gold metal, was scuffed and worn and had bits of ice clinging to it. As Loki got closer and stopped to stand just beside him, it even appeared that part of his hands and even his neck were blue.

Loki noticed his staring but didn’t comment on it. Not after he had learned Tony was fascinated by it, even appraised it, and was not disgusted like everyone else here seemed to be.

“There are hidden passages throughout all of the Nine Realms. It’ll only be a matter of time to locate the one here,” Loki answered nonplussed.

“And if you end up someplace worse?” Tony asked critically, although they’ve had this conversation before.

“At least I’ll know my way out from there. Just need to _get out_ of here first,” Loki said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Loki had been trying to free himself of Valhalla long before Tony had arrived. He was slowly mapping the surrounding areas. He had only been gone a short while this time. It was difficult to tell the passage of time here. But according to the mystical-magic-waters-window, it had been a few Earth days.

Loki had been surprised to find Tony here in Valhalla. More than anything, he had been furious that he had been out exploring when he had been brought in by Valkyrie. Apparently, Valkyrie was the key to passing between Valhalla and the living world. Tony didn’t remember any of it. Only that when he woke up, he was in the last place he had ever expected.

And the last place he ever wanted to stay.

It was worse than his cabin in the woods in upstate New York. It was a low budget renaissance fair in the woods, with no electricity, toothpaste, or deodorant. And filled with lots of overcompensating, small minded jocks that wanted nothing more than to arm wrestle, throw axes, and drink until they passed out. And while Tony was fine with the drinking, ale was never on his approved list of liquors.

There were some nice perks to being in Valhalla, though. Like how Tony had returned to his physical prime. He looked like he was in his 30’s again: exceptional physic, no greying hairs or wrinkles. Definitely nice.

And Loki, surprisingly, was a perk and a welcomed sight. At first to orient himself, although the feelings associated with him were mostly unpleasant to begin with. It didn’t take long for all that to be cleared up, as both gravitated towards each other for a refreshingly educated conversation.

It took less than a day for them to genuinely find the other interesting. Both of them liked to peacock and so they each, in turn, displayed skills and tricks, trying to impress the other. In no time, they were often in each other’s company when not alone.

“You could come with me,” Loki offered, his head lowered in a seductive tilt.

The scene in front of them faded and vanished within a second. Tony’s mind was now elsewhere. The temptation to leave…

“One-way ticket for me,” Tony forced out. He looked up at Loki, giving him a forced smile before turning and beginning to pace. “Mortal and all that. Or, once was. Still trying to figure that one out,” Tony gestured with his hands. Damn he wished he had something to tinker with. What he wouldn’t give for his lab in this Neanderthal Hell.

A new scene displayed between the stone columns. Tony’s lab, lit only by emergency lights. The Iron Man suits in their display cases on the far wall.

Tony let out a groan and rubbed a hand over his face.

“Yggdrasil’s magic,” Loki offered in explanation. Then he cocked his head to the side. “It’s also what keeps you alive here. My magic comes from it,” he said contemplating. “ _I_ could keep you alive.”

“Why? What’s in it for you?” Tony asked. While he’d come to cherish the bond he’d formed with Loki, he couldn’t imagine Loki wanting to be _forced_ to stay with him once he got his freedom.

“Fun,” Loki replied with a wolfish grin.

Tony laughed. They _had_ pulled off some amazing pranks together.

“I’m good,” Tony said reluctantly. He couldn’t go back. Not that so much time had passed. One year. That was all it took. One year and Pepper had moved on. She seemed happy now. And honestly, he and Pepper didn’t work. They tried. Stayed together because of Morgan. But him coming back? He couldn’t do that to Pepper.

“Suit yourself,” Loki replied smoothly, walking away towards his chambers.

“Lokes?” Tony called out. “If you manage to spring yourself…come by and visit sometime?”

Tony honestly didn’t want Loki to leave. And Tony didn’t want to be in Valhalla for the rest of his life, either. But he couldn’t go _back_.

Could he?

The scene between the columns came to life once more, revealing Morgan and Peter. There was a painting of an Iron Man helmet on the canvas now, small lines of excess paint running at the bottom lines.

“I wish I could give it to him,” Morgan said quietly.

Tony bit his lower lip and turned his head down.

“He knows,” Peter said kindly, putting a hand on Morgan’s shoulder.

“Will you take it?” Morgan asked.

Tony looked back up. Morgan was grabbing the canvas off the easel.

“Why not keep it?” Peter asked in a chipper tone. Morgan shuffled her feet and looked down.

“Mommy gets sad,” Morgan said softly.

Peter straightened, clearly feeling out of his depth.

“I’ll take it,” Peter said solemnly.

_________

Tony woke up to the smell of grilled beef and melted cheese. He bolted up, throwing the ridiculously heavy furs off of him and to the side. There, on his bedside table, was a stack of cheeseburgers on a golden plate, surrounded by heaps of fries. Tony barked out a laughed and shook his head. His body shook with his laughter and his smile remained on his face while he reached for the top cheeseburger.

_Crafty little shit managed to pull it off._

Then Tony caught site or something else new in the room.

There, propped up against the nightstand was a small canvas with a painting of an Iron Man helmet. Morgan’s painting.

Or rather, Peter’s painting, since it was gifted to him earlier that day.

Tony started laughing at the thought of Loki sneaking into Peter’s bedroom to steal the painting.

Loki didn’t have to do any of this for him. There was the small possibility that their friendship was a result of Stockholm Syndrome, after all. But if Tony was honest with himself, he knew it was more than circumstantial. Not like how he and Nebula had gotten along.

Damnit. He missed him.

A lot.

“Fine. I’ll say it. You’re awesome and brilliant and a surprisingly good connoisseur of cheeseburgers. Are those from Ray’s? These are so from Ray’s,” Tony said before eating another mouthful. He moaned at the taste and licked his fingers clean.

“And I miss you…you sappy evil genius,” Tony said ruefully.

A swirl of green and gold appeared along the side of the room, slowly growing wider and revealing a pale blue light from within.

“Took you long enough,” Loki said, moving to reveal himself on the other side of the portal.

Tony smiled. He tucked the canvas under his arm, grabbed the plate of burgers and walked through the portal.

He didn’t care if he was only in his PJ pants.

~~Fin~~


End file.
